Device and method for restraining cargo

ABSTRACT

A stackable device for engaging an elongated support for restraining cargo in a container having a pair of opposed walls and configured to transfer to shear stress at least some of the tensile force applied by the elongated support. The stackable device invertably stackable with an other stackable device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a Continuation-in-Part of copending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/948,529, filed Nov. 17, 2010, the contents ofwhich application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to a device and method forrestraining cargo within a container.

BACKGROUND

Cargo transported for commercial and other uses is often shipped insemi-trailers or other trucks, railcars, ships, aircraft or othershipping vehicles. In most instances, shifting or translation of cargowithin the shipping vehicle can occur during shipping which can lead todamage. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,533,513, 6,086,299 and 5,494,389, disclosecargo retention devices that have been well received in the shippingindustry. A pair of such cargo retention devices may be secured onopposed walls of the shipping vehicle, and an elongated support in theform of a wood beam or the like is positioned across the bed of theshipping vehicle and engaged with the cargo retention devices to securecargo.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a device for engaging a 2×4 orother wooden beam or elongated support for restraining cargo in acontainer having a pair of opposed walls and configured to transfer toshear stress at least some of the tensile force applied by the elongatedsupport. The device is invertably stackable with an other device. Thedevice comprises: a strip having a bottom strip surface with an adhesivedisposed thereon for securing the stackable device to one of the wallsof the container, and a top strip surface, the strip having a pair ofends; a sleeve including a plurality of walls extending from the topstrip surface generally perpendicular to the top strip surface defininga cavity having an open end for receiving an end of the elongatedsupport; and a lip on the top strip surface between one of the ends ofthe strip and the sleeve; wherein during stacking the cavity receives alip of the other stackable device and the lip of the stackable device isconfigured to be received by a cavity of the other stackable device.

The device may also include a pair of gussets disposed about the lip,the lip and the pair of gussets defining a holder, wherein duringstacking the holder receives a sleeve of the other stackable device andthe sleeve of the stackable device is configured to be received by aholder of the other stackable device. A handle may be disposed at one ofthe ends of the strip, the handle further defining the holder. Thehandle has an inner wall further defining the holder.

The handle may have a top handle surface and, when the stackable deviceis secured to said one of the walls of the container, the top handlesurface and the top strip surface are generally parallel to said one ofthe walls and a distance from said one of the walls of the container tothe top handle surface is greater than the distance from said one of thewalls of the container to the top strip surface. The stackable devicemay further include: a plurality of other gussets extending from thesleeve toward said one of the ends of the strip and being generallyparallel to each other; and a gusset wall extending generallyperpendicular to the other gussets, the gusset wall positioned betweenthe sleeve and said one of the ends, the other gussets terminating inthe gusset wall, the gusset wall further defining the holder; whereinthe plurality of gussets extend from the gusset wall toward said one endof the strip. The other gussets may define a distance therebetween. Thegusset wall may have a length greater than the distance between theother gussets. The second gussets define a distance therebetween, andthe distance between the second gussets may be greater than the distancebetween the first gussets. The lip and the gusset wall may define afirst gap within the holder and during stacking the first gap receivesone of the walls of the sleeve of other stackable device. Additionally,the lip and the gussets may define second gaps within the holder andduring stacking each second gap receives a respective one of the otherwalls of the sleeve of the other stackable device.

Features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part inthe description which follows and the accompanying drawings describedbelow, wherein an embodiment of the disclosure is described and shown,and in part will become apparent upon examination of the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial view of a semi-trailer and a cargo restraintassembly in accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the presentdisclosure being used to restrain cargo in the semi-trailer, includingan exploded view of the cargo restraint assembly;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of one of the cargo restraint devicesof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the cargo restraint device ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is bottom plan view of the cargo restraint device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the cargo restraint device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the sleeve member of the cargo restraintdevice of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pair of the cargo restraint devices ofFIG. 1 stacked together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a cargo restraint assembly 10 restraining cargo in acontainer in the form of a semi-trailer. The cargo restraint assembly 10includes a pair of cargo restraint devices 12 in accordance with anillustrated embodiment of the present disclosure and an elongatedsupport 14. The pair of cargo restraint devices 12 is secured to opposedwalls of the semi-trailer and is engaged with the elongated support 14,with the elongated support extending across the bed of the semi-trailer.The cargo restraint assembly 10 in accordance with the presentdisclosure is used for limiting the shifting of cargo being transportedby or within the semi-trailer, or by or within any other shippingvehicle or other container, such as, for example, any type of truck,railcar, ship or aircraft or other shipping vehicle.

Each cargo restraint device 12 may have any suitable construction. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1-6, for example, each cargo restraint device 12 inaccordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present disclosurecomprises generally a sleeve member 16 and a compressible insert 18.Each sleeve member 16 includes a sleeve 20, an elongated strip 22 havinga bottom strip surface 24 and a top strip surface 26, a handle 28disposed at an end of the strip 22, and a plurality of side gussets 32and a plurality of end gussets 34 for adding strength and rigidity tothe sleeve and transferring to shear stress at least some of the tensileforce applied by the elongated support 14. Each cargo restraint device12 may be constructed of any suitable material such as any suitableplastic or other material.

Each cargo restraint device may also include an adhesive 36 disposed onthe bottom surface 24 for securing the bottom surface 24 to the wall ofthe semi-trailer. The adhesive 36 may be in any suitable form. Theadhesive 36 may, for example, be in the form of an acrylic based orrubber based adhesive. A removable release liner may also be included.After removal of the release liner, the cargo restraint device 12 can bepressed against one of the walls of the semi-trailer to secure it to thewall. The adhesive 36 may be instead disposed directly on the rearsurface, may be in the form of a two-sided tape with a removable releaseliner, or may be in any other suitable form.

The sleeve 20 extends from the top surface 26 generally perpendicular tothe strip 22. The sleeve 20 comprises a pair of opposed side walls 40and 42 and a pair of opposed end walls 50 and 52. The walls 40,42, 50and 52 extend from the top surface 26 generally perpendicular to thestrip 22 and define a cavity 54 sized and configured to receive the endof the elongated support 14. The sleeve 20 also includes a platform 60extending generally parallel to the strip 22 and spaced from the stripapproximately 1¼″ or any other suitable distance. The platform 60defines an aperture 62 for providing easy access to the compressibleinsert 18 during assembly of the cargo restraint assembly 10 and toreduce manufacturing costs. The walls 40, 42, 50 and 52 surround theplatform. The walls 40, 42, 50 and 52 and the platform 60 define withinthe cavity 54 a cavity 64 for receiving the compressible insert 18 andthe elongated support 14. The inside of the end wall 50 includes a pairof tabs 66 extending the height of the cavity 64 for engaging thecompressible insert 18 to retain it within the cavity 64.

The sleeve 20 includes a pair of arcuate gussets 70 that extend from theside walls 40 and 42 of the sleeve from the end wall 52 towards the topsurface 26 of the strip 22. Each arcuate gusset 70 and a respective sidewall 40 and 42 are collinear. The sleeve 20 also includes an additionalarcuate gusset 72 is disposed between the pair of arcuate gussets 70.The gussets 70 and 72 extend parallel to each other and terminate at aboundary or gusset wall 74. The gussets 70 and 72 add strength andrigidity to the sleeve 20 and transfer to shear stress at least some ofthe tensile force applied by the elongated support 14.

The boundary wall 74 extends wider than the width defined by the arcuategussets 70. A pair of front gussets 76 extend from the ends of theboundary wall 74 towards the handle 28 and parallel to the gussets 70 toprovide additional rigidity and also for providing stackability of twocargo restraint devices 12 as shown in FIG. 7 and as described in moredetail below. An intermediate wall 78, extending parallel to theboundary wall 74, interconnects the gussets 70 and 72.

The platform 60, the strip 22 and the walls 40, 42, 50 and 52 define abore 80 opposite the cavity 64. The sleeve 20 also includes a pluralityof internal gussets 82 extending within the bore 80 on an angle from theside walls 40 and 42 to the platform 60 to add strength and rigidity tothe sleeve 20 and transfer to shear stress at least some of the tensileforce applied by the elongated support 14.

The side wall 42 includes a pair of lines of reduced thickness 84 thatextend generally perpendicular to the strip 22 and define a frangibleportion 86. The lines 84 extend generally parallel to each other and arespaced relative to each other. The lines 84 enable the frangible portion86 to be readily broken to facilitate removal of the cargo restraintdevice 12 after use. For example, a tool such as a crow bar or othertool can be inserted into the cavity 64 adjacent the elongated support14 to break the frangible portion 86.

The strip 22 includes a rail 90 extending substantially about itsperimeter also to add strength and rigidity to the strip 22 and transferat least some of the tensile force applied by the elongated support 14to shear stress. The strip 22 also includes a lip 92 on its top surface26 for providing stackability of two cargo restraint devices 12 as shownin FIG. 7 and as described in more detail below.

The strip 22 also includes a raised surface 94 that defines a pry slot96 for facilitating removal of the cargo restraint device 12. After use,any suitable tool can be inserted into the pry slot 96 and uponapplication of force the cargo restraint device 12 can be separatedreadily from the wall of the semi-trailer.

The compressible insert 18 may be constructed of any suitable materialand may have any suitable configuration and dimensions. The illustratedcompressible insert 18 is constructed of foam. The compressible insert18 is sized to be received snugly within the cavity 64 and thus may havea cross section having dimensions substantially the same as thedimensions of the cross section of the elongated support 14. The sleeve20 may include a tab adjacent the platform for engaging the insert. Thecompressible insert 18 may have a height of 3¾″ or may have any othersuitable height. The compressible insert 18 may have a generallyrectangular block configuration with six flat sides. The compressibleinsert 18 may have any other configuration, including, for example, anyother block configuration, and any other suitable dimensions inaccordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure. The insert18 may instead be constructed of a non-compressible material inaccordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure.

When the compressible insert 18 is received by the cavity 64, it defineswithin cavity 64 a cavity 100 for receiving the end of the elongatedsupport 14. The compressible insert 18 is scored about its perimeter toform a separable portion 98 of the compressible insert 18 that can bereadily removed to reduce the height of the insert 18 and therebyincrease the size of the cavity 100. Thus the intact compressible insert18 can be used in semi-trailers or other containers with a certaininternal width and the shortened compressible insert can be used insemi-trailers or other containers having a slightly smaller internalwidth. The insert 18 may include any other suitable structure forforming a removable portion in accordance with other embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

The gussets 32 and 34 may have any suitable configuration and anysuitable number. The illustrated gussets 32 extend on an angle from therespective side wall 40 and 42 to the strip 22. The illustrated gussets34 extend on an angle from the end wall 50 to the strip 22. The gussets32 and 34 add strength and rigidity to the cargo restraint device 12 andtransfer to shear stress at least some of the tensile force applied bythe elongated support 14.

The handle 28 is disposed at one end of the strip 22 and is configuredto facilitate manual installation and removal of the cargo restraintdevice 12 from the wall of the semi-trailer after use. The handle 28 hasa semi-circular construction. The handle 28 is joined to the strip 22 bya pair of bosses 108 that have a sloping top surface. The handle 28extends generally parallel to the strip 22 and the handle and strip 22and the wall define an opening 110 to facilitate manual grasping of thecargo restraint device 12 when it is secured to a wall for installationand removal from the wall. The handle 28 is cored on its backside todefine a channel 114 substantially along the arc length of the handle.The handle 28 also has a height that extends higher than the top surfaceof the strip for providing stackability of two cargo restraint devices12 as shown in FIG. 7 and as described in more detail below.

The cargo restraint device 12 in accordance with the illustratedembodiment of the present disclosure provides many benefits. With itsdesign, the cargo restraint device 12 is better able to transfer atleast some of the tensile force imposed by the elongated support toshear stress and to withstand the shear stress.

The cargo restraint assembly 10 is also more effective than prior artproducts because it can perform well in semi-trailers or othercontainers of different sized internal widths. Because of the design ofcargo restraint devices 12, the cargo restraint assembly 10 is betterable to withstand the loads imposed by the elongated support 14 duringinstallation and during cargo transport in trucks having differentinternal widths. For example, the raised platform 60 with the gussets 82provide a structure that effectively transfers at least some of thetensile force of the elongated support 14 to shear stress and alsoincreases the shear strength of the cargo restraint device 12. Thegussets 70 and 72 also provide similar benefit.

Further, the ability to remove a portion of the compressible insert 18to shorten its height enables the cargo restraint devices 12 to continueto be effective in transferring this tensile force to shear stress whena narrower semi-trailer is used without having to change the size of theelongated support 14. For example, in application, as relating tosemi-trailers, the compressible insert 18 can have a height of about 3¾″and can have a score around some or all the perimeter half way of itsheight (see, e.g., FIG. 1). For semi-trailers having an internal widthof about 100½″ to 102″, the compressible insert 18 can be used with itsfull height. For semi-trailers having an internal width of about 98″ to100½″, a half portion of the compressible insert 18 can be removed toaccommodate the greater internal width.

Accordingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure also includes amethod of restraining cargo selectively in semi-trailers or othercontainers of different widths with an elongated support. For example,the method may include restraining cargo selectively in a firstcontainer having a first internal width or in a second container havinga second internal width that is less than the first internal width. Themethod includes securing the cargo restraint device 12 on the wall ofthe selected of the first or second container, the cargo restraintdevice comprising the strip 22 having the bottom surface 24 having theadhesive 36 disposed therein for securing to the wall of the selected ofthe first or second container and the top surface 26, the sleeve 20extending generally perpendicularly from the top surface, the sleevehaving the platform 60 substantially parallel to and spaced from thestrip, the platform defining a first cavity, and the compressible insert18 having a block configuration and including a separable portion to beremoved for reducing the size of the compressible insert, thecompressible insert receivable in the first cavity to define within thefirst cavity a second cavity; removing the separable portion of thecompressible insert if the selected of the first or second container isthe first container; placing the compressible insert into the firstcavity; and inserting the end of the elongated support 14 into thesecond cavity so that the end engages the compressible insert and thecompressible insert engages the platform and so that the cargo restraintdevice transfers to shear stress at least some of the tensile force ofthe elongated support. The method may also include securing the othercargo restraint device on the other wall of the selected of the first orsecond container in a like manner. The steps of the method in accordancewith the present disclosure may be performed in any order and with orwithout additional steps.

An embodiment of the present disclosure also includes the method ofsecuring the cargo restraint device on one of the walls and insertingthe end of the elongated support into the first cavity so that the endis spaced from said one wall and so that the cargo restraint devicetransfers to shear stress at least some of the tensile force of theelongated support. The method may also include inserting the insert intothe second cavity before inserting the end of the elongated support intothe cavity. The method may also include securing an other cargorestraint device on the other of the walls and inserting the other endof the elongated support into the open end of the cavity of the othercargo restraint device.

The cargo restraint device 12 in accordance with the illustratedembodiment of the present disclosure also provides stackability benefitsfor storage purposes because each cargo restraint device is invertablystackable with another cargo restraint device (see, e.g., FIG. 7). Eachof the cargo restraint devices defines a holder 120 for receivinglyengaging the sleeve of another cargo restraint device in a complementarymanner. In the illustrated embodiment, the top surface 122 of the handle28 is disposed above the top surface 26 of the strip 22 (relative to thebottom surface 24), and the holder 120 is defined by the inner wall 124of the handle, the front gussets 76, the boundary wall 74 and the lip92. The holder 120 of one cargo restraint device receives the lead endof the sleeve 20 of the other cargo restraint device, while at the sametime the holder 120 of the other cargo restraint device is able toreceive the lead end of the sleeve of the one cargo restraint device inthe same manner. Each of the base of the boundary wall 74, the base ofthe front gussets 76, and the base of the inner wall 124 of the handlemay have a blended radius to further define the holder 120. The lip 92is received within the cavity 54 of the other cargo restraint device,with the lead end of the wall 52 of the cargo restraint device beingreceived by a gap 112 defined within the holder 120 by the boundary wall74 and the lip 92 of the other cargo restraint device and the lead endsof the walls 40 and 42 being received by gaps 132 defined within theholder 120 by the respective front gussets 76 and the ends of the lip92.

While embodiments have been illustrated and described in the drawingsand foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions areconsidered to be exemplary and not restrictive in character, it beingunderstood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown anddescribed and that all changes and modifications that come within thespirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. The descriptionand figures are intended as illustrations of embodiments of thedisclosure, and are not intended to be construed as having or implyinglimitation of the disclosure to those embodiments. There are a pluralityof advantages of the present disclosure arising from various featuresset forth in the description. It will be noted that alternativeembodiments of the disclosure may not include all of the featuresdescribed yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of suchfeatures. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise theirown implementations of the disclosure and associated methods, withoutundue experimentation, that incorporate one or more of the features ofthe disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure and the appended claims.

1. A stackable device for engaging an elongated support for restrainingcargo in a container having a pair of opposed walls and configured totransfer to shear stress at least some of the tensile force applied bythe elongated support, the stackable device invertably stackable with another stackable device, the stackable device comprising: a strip havinga bottom strip surface with an adhesive disposed thereon for securingthe stackable device to one of the walls of the container, and a topstrip surface, the strip having a pair of ends; a sleeve including aplurality of walls extending from the top strip surface generallyperpendicular to the top strip surface defining a cavity having an openend for receiving an end of the elongated support; and a lip on the topstrip surface between one of the ends of the strip and the sleeve;wherein during stacking the cavity receives a lip of the other stackabledevice and the lip of the stackable device is configured to be receivedby a cavity of the other stackable device.
 2. The stackable device ofclaim 1 further including a pair of gussets disposed about the lip, thelip and the pair of gussets defining a holder, wherein during stackingthe holder engages a sleeve of the other stackable device and the sleeveof the stackable device is configured to engage a holder of the otherstackable device.
 3. The stackable device of claim 2 further including ahandle disposed at one of the ends of the strip, the handle furtherdefining the holder.
 4. The stackable device of claim 3 wherein thehandle has an inner wall further defining the holder.
 5. The stackabledevice of claim 1 further including a handle disposed at said one of theends, the handle defining a holder, wherein during stacking the holderengages a sleeve of the other stackable device and the sleeve of thestackable device is configured to engage by a holder of the otherstackable device.
 6. The stackable device of claim 5 wherein the handlehas a top handle surface and wherein, when the stackable device issecured to said one of the walls of the container, the top handlesurface and the top strip surface are generally parallel to said one ofthe walls and a distance from said one of the walls of the container tothe top handle surface is greater than a distance from said one of thewalls of the container to the top strip surface.
 7. The stackable deviceof claim 1 further including: a plurality of other gussets extendingfrom the sleeve toward said one of the ends of the strip and beinggenerally parallel to each other; and a gusset wall extending generallyperpendicular to the other gussets, the gusset wall positioned betweenthe sleeve and said one of the ends, the other gussets terminating inthe gusset wall, the gusset wall further defining the holder; whereinthe plurality of gussets extend from the gusset wall toward said one endof the strip.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the gussets are generallyparallel to each other.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the othergussets define a distance therebetween, the gusset wall having a lengthgreater than the distance between the other gussets.
 10. The device ofclaim 9 wherein the second gussets define a distance therebetween, thedistance between the second gussets being greater than the distancebetween the first gussets.
 11. The device of claim 10 wherein the lipand the gusset wall define a first gap within the holder and whereinduring stacking the first gap receives one of the walls of the sleeve ofother stackable device.
 12. The device of claim 11 wherein the lip andthe gussets define second gaps within the holder and wherein duringstacking each second gap receives a respective one of the other walls ofthe sleeve of the other stackable device.
 13. A stackable device forengaging an elongated support for restraining cargo in a containerhaving a pair of opposed walls and configured to transfer to shearstress at least some of the tensile force applied by the elongatedsupport, the stackable device stackable with an other stackable devicewhen the stackable devices are inverted relative to each other, thestackable device comprising: a strip having a bottom strip surface withan adhesive disposed thereon for securing the stackable device to one ofthe walls of the container, and a top strip surface, the strip having apair of ends; a sleeve including four walls extending from the top stripsurface generally perpendicular to the top strip surface defining afirst cavity having an open end for receiving the elongated support; alip on the top strip surface between one of the ends of the strip andthe sleeve; and a pair of gussets disposed about the lip, the lip, thetop strip surface and the pair of gussets define a holder; whereinduring stacking the holder engages a sleeve of the other stackabledevice and the sleeve of the stackable device is configured to engage aholder of the other stackable device.
 14. The stackable device of claim13 further including: a plurality of other gussets extending from thesleeve toward said one of the ends of the strip and being generallyparallel to each other; and a gusset wall extending generallyperpendicular to the other gussets, the gusset wall positioned betweenthe sleeve and said one of the ends, the other gussets terminating inthe gusset wall, the gusset wall further defining the holder; whereinthe plurality of gussets extend from the gusset wall toward said one endof the strip.
 15. The device of claim 14 wherein the gussets aregenerally parallel to each other, and wherein the other gussets define adistance therebetween, the gusset wall having a length greater than thedistance between the other gussets.
 16. The device of claim 15 whereinthe gussets define a distance therebetween, the distance between thegussets being greater than the distance between the other gussets. 17.The device of claim 16 wherein the lip and the gusset wall define afirst gap within the holder and wherein during stacking the first gapreceives one of the walls of the sleeve of the other stackable device.18. The device of claim 17 wherein the lip and the gussets define secondgaps within the holder and wherein during stacking each second gapreceives a respective one of the other walls of the sleeve of the otherstackable device.